Supply chain disruptions small business owners experience are not temporary events—they are structural economic shifts. In this episode, Tom Wheelwright speaks with New York Times global economics correspondent Peter S. Goodman about why shortages, shipping delays, and rising input costs continue to pressure entrepreneurs.

Peter S. Goodman explains how the modern supply chain operates, why the pandemic permanently changed pricing behavior, and how global manufacturing, logistics, and policy decisions determine what small businesses pay for goods. He breaks down the real cause of inflationary pressure at the business level—not theory, but operational reality.

You will learn:

• Why supply chain disruptions increase operating expenses
• How shortages and shipping delays translate into higher prices
• What small business owners should forecast when planning inventory
• Strategies to build a more resilient business model

This episode solves a critical problem for entrepreneurs: many owners blame weak sales when the real issue is cost structure. Understanding the supply chain allows business owners to protect margins, adjust pricing intelligently, and make better purchasing and investment decisions in an uncertain economy.

Order Tom’s book, “The Win-Win Wealth Strategy: 7 Investments the Government Will Pay You to Make” at: https://winwinwealthstrategy.com/

SHOW NOTES:

00:00 – Intro.
02:40 – Engineered Scarcity in Our System.
04:16 – What caused this?
07:26 – Monopoly Power & Extortion.
12:33 – Disruption Optimized for Big Business.
15:41 – What Small Business Should Do.
20:09 – Subsidies & Manufacturing in the US.
25:00 – The Risk of Short-Term Thinking.
27:11 – How to forecast needs in your strategy.
29:09 – Important Tips for Small Business.
33:33 – Can Technology & AI save us?

Looking for more on Peter S. Goodman?
Website: https://www.petersgoodman.com/
Books: “How the World Ran Out of Everything” “DAVOS MAN: How the Billionaires Devoured the World”
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/peter.s.goodman
X: https://x.com/petersgoodman
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petersgoodman/

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